Jaci Dawn

Tonight, as I transcribed Dale’s letter, I began to hear his voice: the Mid-west “twang” and his sense of humor seem to emanate from him. His folks are still in Portland at the time of this writing (my brother pointed out that they probably traveled by rail and so did not go through Walla Walla to visit Dale). The First World War is still five months away and a world removed from Walla Walla and Dale.

“Prentiss Hall, March 13, 1914

Dear Folks,

    I got your letter this morning and will answer right away. I hope the weather has warmed up some back there, because the cold is liable to bother you when you get home.

   We gave the German play last night and afterwards went to Kroesche’s house and had a feed. I had a fine time, because they all talked German and told stories about the old country. I got an invitation to come up to Kline’s this afternoon. I am going up you bet. I have a notion to get him to give me a little special work in German if I can arrange it reasonably.

    I have a job for a week or soagain (sic) at St Paul’s School again. I am pretty good at dishwashing now. I do not have to spend so long a time as I used to. The grub is not great stuff, but I manage to live on it somehow.

    I am getting along good in Greek, and German. I had right to get about 90% in each one. Math is going good this semester, and Physics is fine; I worked a problem the other day that no one had worked alone for three or four years.

    Psychology Class has not met for a week, but I think I got about 90% in the test we had at the last meeting. English is all right. I must make a speech next time on the subject: “The Freshman’s reading of poetry”. Bible is really better under the sub. professor than under Drexy(?) as far as facts go, but I guess Penrose does make it more interesting.

    I didn’t get any suit, and I am going to try and get along without one this spring, as money is no common thing around this neck of the woods. I don’t know how money gets away so fast, but everybody seems to have the same trouble. One guy from Boisey who lived her for a while spent close to $200.oo between the 1st of Jan and the 1st of March. I guess that is going some eh? He wasn’t a frightful sport either, but he had most of us outclassed.

    Well don’t work too hard when you get home. I will be back before long, and I will show you how to wash dishes. I hope you will write soon, and tell all the news. I must quit and go down to dinner at the school.

Dale D.”

I could not find a good list of professors at Whitman College* in 1914 (I’m sure there is such a thing) to verify the names Drexy and Penrose (there is a Penrose Library). Kline’s and Kroesche’s are also hard to track down. However, I was able to tie down what St. Paul’s was: St. Paul’s School for Girls.

*I have a friend whose husband works at Whitman College and I shall be emailing her to see if he has any insights on these names.

I wonder how it went over when Dale returned to the homestead and fulfilled his promise: “I will show you how to wash dishes.”